Burglar-alarm.



L. A. COLLlNS.

-BURGLAR ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. :4. 1916.

Patented June 5, 191?.

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A TTOR/VEY L. AFCOLHNS,

'BURGLAR ALARM.

APPLICATION mzn ozc. 14, 1916.

Patentefi J 11116 5, 1917,

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un'nenan ananin.

tlpecification of Letters Patent.

Pater "he Application filed. December 14%, 1916. Serial No. 137,012;

, To M6 whom it may concgrn:

Be it known that 1, LEE A. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefl'erson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new andv useful Improvements in Burglar- Alarms, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in alarms and more particularly in automatic burglar alarms, the. pri mary object of my invention being the provision of an alarm of this type which in operation will transmit a signal to a central telephone ohice or other station with which it is connected bv telephone.

More specifically, the object of my present invention consists in providing an elec trically actuated device including mechanism arranged when operated to raise the receiver book of a telephone -instrument and to sound a suitable signal in juXtapo-' sition to the transmitter.

A still further object of my invention is to so arrange'the actuating mechanism that it may be controlled by the ordinary type of electric circuit closers commonly employed in burglar alarms as now in use.

And a still further object of my invention is to so construct the actuating mechanism and so arrange its circuits that, under ordinary conditions, all circuits are open while is permanently closed and any subsequent opening of the initial or operating circuit will have no eifect upon the alarm circuit which will remain closed until intentionally opened by one knowing its location.

With these. and other objects in View, my invention will be fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

Figure l is an elevation of myimproved burglar alarm system,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the actuating member proper, its casing being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view talren on the line 33 Of Fig. 52.

Fig. l is a corresponding view taken on the line 4.4.- of Fig. Q,

telephone instrument.

cated in Fig. s

phone, I have illustrated it in connection with a conventional form of telephone instrument 10 which may be mounted upon any suitable support and which has the usual receivereupportirig hook 12 which must" be raise. to connect the instrument with the telephone line in the usual manner. My invention primarily includes a circuit closing receiver hook actuating mechanism indicated as a whole by the numeral 13, a suitable audible signal device'l l and certain circuits and circuit closing devices adapted to be operated by a burglar seeking admission to a building and which will be later explained.

The actuating mechanism proper is inclosed, in a housing 15 open at its bottom and having a rear wall 16 which forms the support proper for .the mechanism and which is shown secured to a wall or other suitable support above the support for the Secured to the back Wall 16 and adjacent the lower portion of the housing are spaced guides 17 and 18 preferably formed of vulcanized. rubber,

fiber or other insulating material, the lower rear portions of these guides being cut away as indicated at 19 in Fig. 3. A latch lever 20 is pivoted at one land adjacent the upper end of the casing as indicated at 21 and at its opposite end depends in spaced parallel relation to the guide 18. This end is fori'ned in its outer face with a square shouldered notch; or seat 22 to receive the intermediate portion 23 of. a iii-shaped keeper member 24. Pivot screws 25 or other suitable means preferably connect the free ends of the arms of this lree'oer member to the lower portion of the gui e 17, the arms extending across opposite faces of the guide as clearly indiand lof the drawings.

Under normal conditions, the intermediate portion of the keeper is engaged in the seat 22 of the latch lever 20 and is, therefore, held in horizontal position. This engage ment of the keeper by its latch is normally assured by means oi a helical spring 26 one end of which is secured to the. intermediate portion of the latch lever and the other end of which is secured in a stud 27 projecting from the back Wall 16 of the casing, the spring normally tending to swing the latch leveraway from the pivoted end of the I, keeperand consequently to hold the intermediate portion. ot'th'e keeper in the seat 22 of the latch lever. Normally supported upon the intermediate portions of the sides of the keeper is a weight 28 which is slid- :abl e between .the guides 17 and 18 and whlch, when the keeper is released by swinging of the latch against the action of the spring 26','is free to fall through-the open lower end of the casing. An'eye 29 is carried by the. upper portion of the weight and a cord 30 is secured at one end to this eye,

ing, being secured to its rear wall, is a bracket 32? carrying an electro-niagnet 33, the poles of which are disposed in parallel spaced relation to the latchlever 20 at a point between its pivot point and its connection with the spring 26. Obviously energization of this magnet will draw the latch lever against the. action of the spring to free the keeper and permit it to fall and release theweight 28. A stop bracket 34 is secured to the rear wall of the casing to limit the swing of the latch lever under the action oi 'its spring 26 when the keeper has been-released and this stop bracket is provided with a contact 35 engageable by a contact 36 carried by the latch lever. A pair of binding posts 3'? and 38 are disposed adjacent the pivoted end of the latch lever and the side wall of the casing adjacent each of these binding posts is formed with an opening 39. This same side Wall, adjacent the stop bracket 34:. is formed with openings 40 and adjacent one of these openings, the rear wall of the casing supports a binding post -11. A .wire 42 connects the binding post 37 with one terminal of the winding of the magnet 33 and a wire 43 leads from the other terminal oi. the magnet winding and is connected to the pivoted end of the keeper this wire being prefe ably held out of the way of moving parts of the apparatus by engagement with the same fastening devices 44 which serve to anchor the guide strip 17 in place. Furthermore, a wire t5 connects the binding post 38 with the latch lever 20, this connection. being such as to in no way interfere with the swinging of the latch lever and a Wire t6 connects the binding post 37 with the binding post 41.

Any suitable source of electrical energy such as a battery e7 may be employed in my improved burglar alarm system and one pole of this battery in use will be connected to the binding post 38 by a wire 48. A wire 49 leads from the opposite pole of the batter'y to one contact of any suitable type of burglar operated circuit closer 50 and a wire 51 leads from the other contact of this Cir-- cuit closer to the binding post 37. Additional circuit closers may be included inthis system by means of branch leads 52 and 53 connected at suitable intervals to the wires 49 and 51 audit will be understood that, in use, thesevaiious circuit closers will be disposed about the building, safe, or other structure to be protected in the most advantageous manner depending upon the various conditionspresent in each case. Obviously, as many burglar operated circuit closers may be employed as are deemed advisable. Vires 54 and .55 lead from the stop bracket 3% and binding, post 41 respectively to the binding posts of the audible signal'device 14- which, in the present instance, is-illustrated as. a buzzer but which may be an electrically actuated gong, whistle or other suitable signal. This audible signal is, of course preferably disposed relatively near the transmitter of the telephone instrument in order that any signal given by it may be readily transmitted over the telephone line to the central station.

In describing the operation, I will assume that the parts are in the condition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and as a result, the circuits areall open. Under these circumstances, closing of any one of theburglar operated circuit closers will clhse'a circuit from the battery through the circuit closer, wire 51, wire 42, ma gnet 33, wire 43, keeper 24, latch lever 20; wire 45 and wire 48 to the battery. This circuit will energize the magnet 33 causing it to attract the latch lever 20 which constitutes itsarmature and will thus cause release of the keeper 24 and consequently of the weight 28. The falling of this Weight will raise the receiver hook of the telephone,

instrument as previously described. At the same me, the release of the latch lever from the keeper will break the ciruit through the magnet 33, above traced, and

thereby deiinergize the magnet and permit.

the spring 26 to draw the latch lever 20 into engagement with the stop bracket 34:. Un-

58" and 59 into en gitudinal' slot der these circumstances, a circuit will be established from the battery through. the wire 51, wire 46, wire 55, audible signal 14, wire 54, contacts and 36, latch lever-20, wire and wire4l8 to the battery, to sound the signal device 1 1. Obviously, {LS long as the latch lever 20 remains in engagement with the stop bracket 34, this circuit will remain closed and an audible signal will be continuously transmitted over the telephone line to alarm an operator the central station.

A switch 56 should be interposed in the Wire 48 in order that the alarm circuit may be opened during the day so that windows v and doors protected by the burglar operated circuit closers may be opened and closed without giving any signal In Fig. 7 I have illustrated one form oi circuit closer which may be employed at the doors and windows in a building to be protected. As there shown,*this circuit closer 50 includes a supporting'plate 51 adapted to be seated in a recess formed in the window casing or floor and provided with a l01l- A cam member 53 is pivoted at one end in this slot and its opposite end movable through the slot being provided with a bufier 5% of insulation. A contact spring 56 is secured to the inner face oi? the plate 51 at one end, insulation 57 being interposed between the plate and spring and at its opposite end carries a contact 58 to cooperate with a contact 59 carried by the plate 51. One of the circuit wires is connected to the contact spring and the other to the plate 51 and the contacts 58 and 59 are normally out of engagement, due to the cam 53 being held with its con-i portion in the slot 52 by a closed door or window. Obviously, if the door'or window is opened this cam is released and the-spring" contact 56 will swing; to bring the contacts gagein cnt with each other.

If desired, a wiring system, such that shown in 8 may be employed which identical with that previously described with the exception that the binding post 41, wire 46, and wire are omitted, a wire 60* being led from-thpt pole of the battery from which the Wire 4%) is connected lirectly to the free binding post of the audible signal device 15. With this wire, it will be obvious that when the alarin'hos once been operated through the closing of one of the circuit closers 50, subsequent opening" of the circuit closer, due to the closing of a door or win dew by a burglar, will have no efi e'ct upon.

the signal circuit which. will remain closed Also, if found advisable, platiinure contacts $1 and 62 be carried by the latch and keeper.

iilthoug my invention i tion, it will of course i.

have illustrated and described of construc-- ,ipperent that rnerons changes, both in details and in arrangement of ports, may be made without departing Tom the spurt of my invention and l therefore reserve the right to make any changes which may be deemed advisable and which may .iall within the scope of the appended claims,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an alarm, the combination with a v5 telephone instrument including :1 receiver hook, of a weight, operative connection between the weight and instrument whereby telling of the weight will cause raising of the receiver hook, means normally holding the weight, an electrically operable audible signal in normally open circuit, a circuit closer, electrically operated means for re leasing the weight supporting means, a normally open circuit through said latter\ electrically operated means and the circuit closer, and means operable by the closing oi this latter circuit through the circuit closer tor subsequently breaking the circuit thus closed and closing circuit through the signal device.

2. an alarm system, the combination with a telephone instrument including a receiver hook, of means operable to cause raising of the receiver hook, a swinging lever normally holding such means from operation and adaptedupon swinging in one direction to permit such means to open ate, means constantly tending to swing the lever in the opposite direction, ,nileans adapted upon swinging of the lever in the opposite direction to sound audible signal, a circuit closer in a normally open circuit, electrical means in such circuit adap ed when energized to swing the lever in the first named direction, and means for opening that circuit including the circuit closer at point other than the circuit closer upon op '1' the first mentioned means.

I an. alarm system, the combination with a telephone instrument including a receiver hoclr, of a weight, operative connection between the weight and instrument whereby falling of the weightwill cause raising of the receiver hook, it swinp lngly 1 n un ted 1. etch lever, a keeper normally held in position to support the weight by the latch lever, electrical. means adapted when energized to swing the lever in one direction to release the keeper, means constantly tending to swing the lever in the opposite direction whereby after movement of the latch lever in first direction upon 81181 gization of the first mentioned lever swing"- ing means and subsequent V dcnergization of such rncsns the lever will be swung in the reverse d ction, a stop for limiting tl'ie movement 2' the lever in nch reverse neeense trically operated lever swinging device, the keeper and the latch lever, an electrically operated audible signal device, and a sec ond normally open circuit including the latch lever, its stop, andthe audible signal. device.

4. In an alarm system, the combination with a telephone instrument having a receiver hook of a Weight, operative con nection between the weight and instrument direction to maintain the keeper in en gagement ith the seat, a stop for limiting movement of the latch lever in such direc tion when disengaged from the keeper, an electro-magnet adapted when energized to swing; the latch lever away from the stop and out of engagement with the keeper, a circuit closer, a normally open circuit including the circuit closer, elective-magnet,

keeper and latch lever adapted to beclosed by the circuit closer and to be immediately opened through release of the keeper from the latch lever, an audible signal device, and a normally open circuit through the signal device, latch lever and stop adapted to be closed by engagement of the latch lever with the stop after release of the keeper.

5. In an alarm system, the combination with a telephone instrument including a receiver hook, of means operable to cause raising of the receiver hook, means normally holding the first mentioned means against operation and including members Which may be separated to release the first mentioned means, means for separating" the members, a circuit including the holding means, means for separating the members and a normally open circuit closer, and a second circuit including an audible signal,

the second circuit including one of the sep arable-members and being adapted to be closed by such member when the separable members are separated. e

6. In an alarm system, the combination with a telephone instrument including; a receiver hook, of a circuit closer, a circuit normally open at the circuit closen'means in the circuit adapted upon closing of the circuit to successively cause raising of the receivenhook and reopening of the circuit, an audible signal, and a normall open circuit through the signal adapted to be closed by reopening of the first circuit. y

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

LEE A. CQLLENS. [La] 

